A Peculiar Arrival
by soccerchick007
Summary: Harry, Ron and the gang start their sixth year at Hogwarts....but a newcomer shakes things up. A new girl distracts Harry, Ron and many other boys from the tasks at hand, shows up Hermione in the smarts department, and holds a devastating secret.


"So, who's the new kid?"  
  
Ron leaned over toward Harry as she walked by, eyes straight ahead. "I have no idea," Harry admitted. "Maybe we can ask Professor McGonagall during Advanced Transfiguration.that's next anyway."  
  
"I sure hope she's in our class," Ron said. "Did you see those deep gray eyes? And that hair."  
  
"Well I don't see what's so special about her." Hermione stated matter-of- factly from Harry's left. "I hear she's transferred from a Muggle school when they found out she could make her pencil do her homework for her. She must be a late starter to reveal her powers so late.it's already our sixth year, and she's not that young."  
  
"What's a pencil?" Ron asked.  
  
"Oh, you are hopeless," Hermione said exasperatedly. "It's what Muggles use in place of a quill."  
  
The bell rang loudly over the chatter: it was time for class. The three made their way through the Great Hall, Hermione still trying to explain the term "pencil" to Ron ("Honestly, you'd think you had been living under a rock all these years!"), trying desperately to stay on course despite the many gentle pushes and shoves received by anyone trying to exit a crowded hall. When they finally reached the huge doorway, they found their path blocked by yet another obstacle: Draco Malfoy had decided to waste no time this year setting in on Harry.  
  
"Well, Potter," Malfoy sneered. "What could be the rush today?"  
  
"Just move, Malfoy," Ron nearly shouted with impatience. "We've got to get to class!"  
  
"So now we've got a new bodyguard, do we Potter? Well, Weasley, maybe now you'll be able to afford a decent wand."  
  
"Last time I checked, Malfoy," Ron bit back, "you were in the bottom half of our class. Daddy isn't too pleased with that, now is he?"  
  
Malfoy's lips pursed into a tight line. "You just keep going on about that, Weasley, and we'll have to see what color your nose bleeds.I wonder if it'll be as red as that mess of hair?"  
  
Hermione stepped between the two, grabbing Ron by the front of his robes. "Come on," she urged, pulling him away little by little, trying to break the glare between the two. "It's not worth it right now. We've got to get to class."  
  
"That's all that ever matters to you, isn't it?"  
  
"As of right now, yes. It's only the first day of school and you're already holding me back. Let's go."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"All right, settle down!" Professor McGonagall called over the mix of excited and halfhearted din. Advanced Transfiguration was known to be one of the hardest classes for a sixth year to take. Harry, Ron, and Hermione took their accustomed places beside one another. To Harry's dismay, he realized that Gryffindor shared this class with Slytherin. Malfoy turned in his chair and gave Harry a half-sneer, half-grimace that would have turned a small animal to stone.  
  
"There she is!" Ron whispered harshly in Harry's ear.  
  
"Who? What are you talking about?" Harry answered.  
  
"That girl! The one that just transferred! She has to be really smart or something, to be able to get into Advanced Transfiguration her first year here."  
  
Harry craned his neck to try and get a better look at the newcomer. All he could see was long, shiny auburn hair lying on black robes. But he could most certainly see that she was seated next to Neville, who was nearly having seizures with nervousness. "I can't really see her, Ron. What're you so excited about?"  
  
Ron was about to answer when McGonagall's heavy stare rested on him. He returned to his regular position, but Harry could tell Ron was just itching to give him a detailed description of the new girl's features.  
  
"I want you to welcome a new student," Professor McGonagall stated. "As many of you probably have already heard, she has transferred here from a non-magical school very recently, but her magical powers far exceed what we've expected them to be at such an early stage."  
  
Harry thought he could detect just a hint of red around the new girl's ears and hairline.  
  
"Her name is Julianne Elddir. She's just moved into Gryffindor tower. I will need one of you to help show her around the grounds and help her get to class."  
  
Nearly the entire male population of the class enthusiastically raised their hands.  
  
"Now wait, I will first check to see whose schedule most resembles that of Julianne's. I will announce it after class, so do not leave immediately."  
  
McGonagall's last statement was unnecessary: every boy looked as if they would stay for days for the chance to be this girl's escort. Harry was becoming anxious-he still couldn't get a good look at her.  
  
"Thank you, Professor." The first words out of Julianne's mouth rang in Harry's ears. Her accent was clipped and refined, her speech nearly perfect.  
  
McGonagall offered Julianne a kindly look, then turned to face the class. "Down to business. Today, you will be reviewing the basics by turning these caterpillars into wristwatches."  
  
As the class shifted about, Harry finally caught a glimpse of Julianne's face. His breath caught in his throat. She was indeed beautiful, but Harry had had other crushes before without this type of reaction. Her auburn hair fell straight and smooth down her back, providing a beautiful background for her lightly freckled, tanned face. Her eyes were just as Ron had described them: a deep gray, wide, with curling lashes. Her pinkish-red lips looked soft and full, curving over straight, white teeth.  
  
"Harry.Harry..Hey! Stop gawking!" Ron pulled nervously at Harry's sleeve. "McGonagall's coming back to check, and we haven't started yet." A small smile crept over Ron's lips as Harry's eyes regained their focus on his surroundings. "What did I tell you? Cute, isn't she?"  
  
"Sure." Harry said absently as his gaze drifted back to Julianne's profile as she worked.  
  
"Professor?" Julianne called softly. "How does this look?" She held up a beautiful golden wristwatch studded with gems where the caterpillar's stripes had been.  
  
"Excellent, Julianne!" McGonagall exclaimed. "Ten points to Gryffindor."  
  
Hermione gawked. Her caterpillar was still transforming, and only into a smart little leather-banded watch. Never had she been surpassed by quality or speed in transfiguration.never. "It's not that great," she said sulkily. "I just wasn't trying yet is all."  
  
*~*~*  
  
The time flew by. Harry was preoccupied with stealing glances at Julianne, memorizing her features, as were Ron, Neville, and many of the other boys in the class. To Harry's dismay, Malfoy seemed to be getting awfully friendly with Julianne already. He hoped he could warn her against Malfoy's tactics, but then the thought of talking to her gave him butterflies. He was inwardly scolding himself for becoming so jittery over a girl when McGonagall called, "All right now! I've been looking over the schedules during your exercise and it seems that Harry Potter shares nearly the same schedule with Miss Elddir." A collective wave of disappointment ran throughout the classroom. "Go on and raise your hand, Harry, so she can see you."  
  
Harry froze. Ron started jabbing Harry painfully in the arm: "Raise your hand, dummy!" he whispered harshly. "You've got her!" Harry slowly raised his hand, his face burning hotter with each passing second. Julianne offered a small wave. Harry thought his breakfast would end up on the floor.  
  
"Don't forget your reports, class: they're due next Tuesday." McGonagall finished. Everyone stood up. Harry looked over at Julianne. To his horror, she was walking toward him with a huge smile on her face.  
  
"Hello, Harry," she said. "So it looks like you'll be walking me to Potions next."  
  
All Harry could manage was a small nod and a weak "Yes." Ron pushed him ahead, Julianne following. She increased her pace until she was walking parallel to him. "You know, McGonagall didn't have to have you raise your hand. I already know who you are."  
  
Harry's heart sank. Another one. He had found he could rarely trust the affections of any person who started a conversation with him that way. His fame was a burden to him: he could hardly ever develop a solid relationship with anyone.  
  
"Don't misunderstand, Harry," Julianne added. "I only recognized the name before now. You are in textbooks, you know. But I happened to see you in the Great Hall and you caught my eye. So I asked a girl, I think her name was Parvati, who you were. When she told me, I didn't know what to think. Should I introduce myself, or should I leave him alone? But then again, I was quite embarrassed."  
  
"Embarrassed?" Harry questioned in amazement. "How on Earth could you be embarrassed? You're." He stopped himself short, petrified of what he had almost let slip.  
  
"I'm what?" Julianne questioned gently, a smile playing on her lips.  
  
Harry's mind raced. He found his escape route. "Ah! Here we are, the entrance to the dungeon, Potions here with Snape, you know, he's real tough." 


End file.
